Theology and Issues of Life and Death

Heywood Thomas, Parsons

• Publisher: Cascade Books
• Year: 2013
• eBook ISBN: 9781621896340
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Religion

Does theology have any relevance to the problem of life and death? According to John Heywood Thomas the answer is an unequivocal yes. A largely personal expression of this conviction precedes the argument's exposition, which is then stated first of all quite generally--that nothing human is alien to theology's concern. Three main issues are considered: the unborn life, death as an event in life, and the possibility of global death. The issue of a life before birth is a complex problem, requiring an awareness of philosophical issues as of the empirical factors. The same kind of multifaceted thinking is needed in confronting the issue of death, an inescapable topic for theology. If death is an event in life what does it reveal about the meaning of life? And what of the very human action of the funeral? After a discussion of the complex issues involved the argument returns to the global reference of theology. Two areas of concern are singled out to show that the theologian can offer guidance in debate: the environmental crisis and the threat of nuclear war.

Table of contents

• Title Page
• Foreword
• Preface
• Introduction
• Chapter 1: Theology and Matters of Life and Death
• Chapter 2: The Problem of the Unborn Life
• Chapter 3: The Problem of Death
• Chapter 4: Life and the Meaning of Death
• Chapter 5: Life, Death, and Paradise
• Chapter 6: Responsibility as an Inclusive Concept
• Chapter 7: Global Life and Death
• Bibliography